The Broken Crown
by Iugulare Mortuos
Summary: All they wanted to do was escape the newspapers, but their parents decided it would be a good idea to send them to Japan to do so. Now enrolled in Ouran Academy, they must keep their secrets to themselves or risk ruining their family's reputation. Unfortunately, secrets never stay safe where the Host Club is concerned.
1. Chapter 1

It was almost painful to watch the Europeans stutter and stumble trying to trying to introduce themselves in his native language, Kyoya observed. They certainly knew the right words, but the pronunciation eluded them, and their heavy accents did nothing to help. He continued to watch, curious as to how this would play out. Finally, he took pity on them and announced in a firm tone, "Christin and Laurenz Schulz, youngest children of Volkskrone Tech owners, Wilhelm and Lena Schulz."

Startled, Christin's round gray eyes flicked in the direction his voice had come from. She gave an appreciative nod, placing a hand on her brother's lower back and guiding him to an empty desk. Then, she sat next to him, ignoring the inquisitive whispers that had been flitting about the room since Kyoya's announcement, her gaze focused on the teacher.

The youngest Ootori child pulled his black notebook from his pocket and flipped to the page where he had recorded his earlier observations of the Schulz family. He looked across at the siblings, tapped his pen against the desk, and began to write. In all honesty, he didn't know much about them that hadn't come from tabloids, given the family's propensity for secret-keeping and the oldest child's frequent explosive outbursts at journalists.

He ran through the list in his mind: Wilhelm, Lena, Hagen, Jochim, Christin, and Laurenz. It was highly likely that at least Lena, if not Hagen—as it had recently been announced that Jochim was engaged—would have accompanied the younger two to Japan. After all, Volkskrone Tech and the Ootori group had been collaborating on an important project for years now, and it was very near completion. With any luck, Christin and Laurenz's enrollment in the exchange program here at Ouran signified a desire to strengthen relations outside of collaborations.

Sooner than he expected, class was over, and the students flocked around the two Europeans, bombarding them with questions about their parents' company and what they were doing at Ouran. Overwhelmed, Laurenz began clinging to his sister and burying his face in her chest, while Christin looked from student to student, her brain obviously struggling to make sense of the fast-paced Japanese.

Kyoya stood, striding towards the group of students in silence. At the sound of his footsteps, everyone turned around. He smiled, placing his notebook back in his pocket, and took another step forward. "Christin-san and Laurenz-san must be exhausted from their flight," he said, taking care to enunciate each and every syllable. "I'm sure they would be happy to answer your questions at a later time."

Christin was about to reply when she caught on to what he was doing. She sighed heavily, jabbed Laurenz in the ribs, hissed something in his ear, and rubbed her left eye, yawning. The action, combined with her round, almost childish face elicited a round of cooing from the female students. "A bit tired," she admitted in embarrassingly infantile Japanese.

Their fun spoiled, the rest of the students retreated to their desks.

"_Danke, Herr_ Kyoya." Christin got to her feet and extended her hand, smiling when Kyoya shook it firmly.

Laurenz grinned, adding quietly, _"Danke."_

"I can find you two a tutor if you need help with your speaking skills," Kyoya offered. Christin immediately withdrew her hand, hissing defensively that their mother had already hired a tutor. Of course, he had never expected her to accept the offer, but he was to be polite, after all. "You could always speak English. It is a required course here at Ouran Academy."

Christin gave him a curious once-over, as if not sure whether or not he was being serious. At last, she nodded and returned to her seat.

"By the way, Laurenz-san, how is your leg?"

The boy gripped the edges of his desk, his jaw clenching and his blue eyes hardening. A choked gasp escaped his throat, and he started trembling. Finally, he put his head down.

His sister shot up from her chair, darting to his side. _"Mach den Kopf zu!_ Do you want him to have a panic attack?" she demanded, glaring murderously at Kyoya. She stroked Laurenz's hair and murmured comfortingly to him in German. _"Du bist in Ordnung,"_ she kept repeating, her voice so soft that it almost couldn't be heard. _"Ich habe dich gerne."_

Shocked, Kyoya took a step back. After two years, one would think they wouldn't be so sensitive about it. It had been everywhere in international news for months. "My apologies, Laurenz-san." Unsure of what else to do, he retreated to his seat and withdrew his notebook once again, leaving the Schulz children to sort themselves out. He noted their soreness regarding the accident and made a mental not to bring it up again, provided he wasn't required to lie in order to do so.

This certainly had been an interesting third meeting.

* * *

As far back as Tamaki could remember, he had always hated to watch others cry. Thus, when Kyoya stepped back to reveal the shaking, hunched over exchange student, he had instantly sprung to his feet and practically ran over to him and his sister. "Christin-san, is your brother alright?" he queried, aware that the younger student was in no condition to reply. He reached out to place a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

Christin smacked his hand away, pulling Laurenz to her chest—which was oddly flat, Tamaki observed before reminding himself that it was impolite to stare at girls like that. "He'll be okay if you don't touch him!" she snapped. She shook her head as though to clear it and offered an apology, adding that she didn't mean to come across as rude.

"It's alright, princess," he assured her, noting how she set her jaw but neglected to correct him. "You must still be under stress from the accident." Although he wanted to go on, he chose not to, respecting the siblings' privacy. After all, he knew what it was like to have a sensitive subject brought up by a well-meaning person.

"I- I'm fine," Laurenz choked at last, drawing away from Christin. "Just needed a minute."

"Thank you, Herr- I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Oh! How silly of me; I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Suoh Tamaki."

Christin's eyebrows lifted. "You're related to the headmaster?"

Before they could continue the conversation, the next teacher entered the room and announced the beginning of class. Tamaki and Christin immediately crept back to their desks, embarrassed to be the only ones standing up in the middle of a classroom of thirty people.

* * *

Only when it was time for lunch did they manage to escape most of their peers by heading to the courtyard. A good portion of the student population preferred to eat in the cafeteria, while others kept to their homerooms, but a select few sought peace one of the many gardens the campus had to offer.

"Here is really dead trouser," Laurenz said, glad to be able to speak in his native tongue after three long hours of classes. He prodded Christin with his crutch, enticing a playful glare. "What are we going to tell Mama when he asks about our day?"

She appeared to think about it for some time, tapping her chin and humming under her breath. "The teachers were competent, the students were friendly,"—here, she paused and gave a sly grin—"and the campus was pink."

He laughed, throwing his head back. Then, he looked around to make sure no one was in hearing range. "Christoph, are you sure you're comfortable in that dress?" he inquired in a low voice, concerned. He leaned forward and grabbed his brother by the arm. "We can talk to the staff, get you the right uniform. I'm sure they'd understand."

Christoph mimicked his new posture, leaning in so that their noses were touching. "Not as ugly as I thought it would be," he murmured, pulling on the skirt of the dress. He batted his eyelashes, smiling coyly. "Besides, I think I make a pretty girl, don't you?"

Laurenz pulled away, sighing. "Stop lying."

"Alright." Christoph tugged on his bangs, moving them in front of his right eye. "I'll stop." He dragged one hand down his face. "I hate it, Laurenz," he confessed. He pulled his legs up onto the edge of the fountain, turning so that he was partially facing away from his brother. "I thought I could handle it. I thought that maybe- Maybe, if the dress was pretty enough, if I looked good enough in it that I'd… you know, not feel like I'm going to have a panic attack every second I have it on."

"Come here." Laurenz pulled him into an embrace, letting him lay his head on his shoulder. Lord only knew how much his brother needed it right now.

It was going to be a long year.

* * *

**Danke, Herr Kyoya. – Thanks, Mister Kyoya.**

**Mach den Kopf zu! – Shut Up! Lit. Shut your head down!**

**Du bist in Ordnung, - You're okay**

**Ich habe dich gerne. – I love you. (Platonic)**


	2. Chapter 2

It was still too early for them to open up their doors to their guests, but in stark contrast to the normal atmosphere of the Host Club, it was totally silent in Music Room Three. The twins sat in silence at their usual table, their heads low as if they were about to begin a quiet conversation. Hani and Mori were perched on either arm of one of the room's many velvet sofas, staring at the doors in anticipation. Haruhi stood patiently behind an ornate chair, a tray of tea and commoner coffee in hand. Kyoya was seated at a table near the back of the room, Tamaki peering curiously over his shoulder as the other boy flipped through his notebook.

At last, Kyoya looked up from his notebook and called the other hosts over. Once they were close enough for his liking, he opened his laptop and pulled up the website for a free climbing magazine. On one of the covers were a boy and a girl posed at the base of a rock face with ropes and harnesses behind them. He turned the laptop around so that the others could see.

"The Schulz siblings," Hikaru said, a hint of amazement coloring his voice.

"But no one's seen them since… you know," Kaoru continued, incredulous.

Tamaki hummed to himself, rubbing his chin. Christin and Laurenz had been famous for their rock climbing, yes, but that was all behind them now. It had been two years since then, and no one had heard even a passing rumor of them trying to get back into the game.

"Actually, they've enrolled in the Academy's exchange program." Kyoya turned the laptop back to face him, accessed the school's network, and brought up the new student's profiles. They looked the same as they had in the magazine photographs, but there was a certain tiredness behind their eyes now, as if they'd grown bored with the world itself. "Furthermore, I've invited them to the Host Club for the day. Their presence will be quite the draw for curious customers."

Almost as if on cue, there was a knock at the doors. Haruhi gave Kyoya an inquisitive glance before heading over to open them.

Outside stood Christin, hand on her hip, head tilted to one side. She looked past Haruhi at their resident Shadow King and pointed behind her. _"Mein Bruder angegriffen wurde,"_ she growled at him. Brushing past Haruhi, she walked right up to Kyoya and crossed her arms. _"Retten ihn vor deinen Fans."_

Kyoya stared at her, unimpressed. He got to his feet and smiled pleasantly at her. _"Sie können damit umgehen."_

"I don't want to get mobbed." Apparently upset that he'd obliged to use her own language, she switched to English. Her accent was heavy, obscuring part of the meaning of the sentence to the rest of the Host Club. "Apparently I'm considered cute."

Tamaki opened his mouth to agree, but he quickly realized that the girl wouldn't appreciate his input. It was a strange thing to think of; didn't all girls want to be told that they were beautiful, or pretty, or cute? Haruhi didn't count, of course, because she was special. That and his precious daughter was just hiding it. She obviously loved it when he called her pretty. Wait, what was he thinking about again? Oh, yes, Christin not wanting to be called cute. He'd have to find some other way of assuring her that she was beautiful.

Christin paused, looking Kyoya up and down before turning to gape at the others. She bounded over to Hani, took the hem of his ornate garment in one hand, and rubbed the fabric between her fingers. A delighted grin crossed her features, and she seemed to forget about the trouble involving her brother. "A chiton?" she queried, her gray-blue eyes bright. When Hani nodded, still reeling from her sudden change in attitude, she laughed quietly. "Who designed these for you? The fabric is so light, and the hemming is perfect! Well, actually, they should have used a blind catch stitch instead of a pitch stitch. It lasts much longer. But the embroidery—ooh, you have no idea how absolutely gorgeous it is! It's so detailed, and the thread- Um…" She looked up at the others, smiling sheepishly. "Heh. That was childish of me. I'm sorry."

"You seem to know quite a lot about clothes, Schulz-chan," Kyoya interjected, unfazed by the German's eagerness to know about their costumes. He picked up the notebook from its place on the table behind him, flipped through it until he reached a certain page, and scribbled something down. "Our theme today is Ancient Greece, and as such, we've enlisted the help of our manager in acquiring appropriate costumes."

"Your—manager? Am I translating that word correctly?"

A distinctive laugh echoed about Music Room Three, and a dais rose up from the floor. On top of it was Renge, microphone in hand. "The Ouran High School Host Club: designed to entertain young ladies and provide them with the experience of a lifetime. Our seven hosts each cater to a specific set of ladies. We have the Princely type, the Cool type,"—here, she gestured to Tamaki and Kyoya in turn—"the Boy Lolita type, the Strong and Silent type,"—this time, she indicated Hani and Mori—"the Little Devil types,"—she frowned as she pointed to the twins—"and, of course, the Natural type,"—finally, she smiled and waved at Haruhi.

Christin's jaw worked while she struggled to recover from the shock of Renge's unexpected entrance. She rubbed her ears, muttering to herself in German. "Laurenz!" Remembering her brother's plight, she darted out the doors and returned not a minute later with the younger German clinging to her sleeve. _"Kannst du mir diese Dummheiten verzeihen?"_

"_Ja, ja. Ich weiß."_ There was sarcasm dripping from the words as he spoke them, and he gave the Host Club a sideways glance that said he was stringing his sister along. He clutched at his chest, leaning heavily on his crutch. "I think they broke my ribs." His English was less accented than Christin's, but some of the statement was still hard to decipher. He turned a pathetic grimace on his sister, accenting the expression with a whine. "Chris…"

"Little liars don't get _kuchen."_

Laurenz's face went from doleful to horrified in the span of a second. As Christin walked away from him, he followed after her, babbling incoherently in German as he tried to convince her not to take away whatever she had threatened to.

Christin merely ignored him, turning back to Hani's costume and commenting on how well the gold embroidery set off his skin tone. She fingered the cloth as if amazed by the feel of it. "I'd love to get my hands on some of this fabric. It's wonderful! Do you guys have themed costumes every day? Or is it just on special occasions? Oh, who's your tailor? Do they work on-site or do they just have your measurements?" She seemed fascinated by their costumes and had totally shut out her brother in favor of them.

"Chris," Laurenz pleaded, dragging the nickname out. _"Ich werde gut sein."_ He pulled on his sister's sleeve, tugging her away from the chiton.

"_Nein. Keine kuchen."_ She frowned at him, trying to express her obvious disapproval with both her voice and her expression. However, she seemed to be finding it a bit difficult to keep a straight face. _"Du bist ein Lügner."_

"Uh, Chris-chan," Hani interrupted, having clambered up on Mori's shoulders several moments ago, "what is your brother asking for?"

"_Kuchen,"_ she replied, as though that explained everything. Then, she shook her head and apologized for not being clear. She thought for a minute, tapping her chin with one finger. "I think the word in English is—cake?"

"Oh, I love cake!" Hani clapped his hands together. "He can share some with me."

"No, he lied." Adamant, Christin crossed her arms. She tossed a disappointed glance in Laurenz's direction, and the boy rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "He doesn't get cake today. Unless Mama says he can have it. Mama overrules me." Her expression turned thoughtful as she considered the possibility that she might indeed be overruled.

"But… But—_kuchen!"_

"Don't worry, I won't torture you, you silly little _Maus._ I won't have cake today, either."

"_Ich bin nicht eine Maus."_ Laurenz looked over at the Host Club, clearly embarrassed that he and Christin were arguing in front of them. He muttered an apology and hissed something into his sister's ear that earned an approving nod.

"You must be busy today," Christin said, drawing back towards the door. "We should go."

"No, no," Tamaki purred, doing his best to speak slowly and clearly so that they could understand him with ease. "Stay. I insist, princess. You won't be bothering us at all."

* * *

**Mein Bruder angegriffen wurde - My brother was attacked**

**Retten ihn vor deinen Fans. – Rescue him from your fans.**

**Sie können damit umgehen. – You can handle it.**

**Kannst du mir diese Dummheiten verzeihen? – Can you forgive my stupidity?**

**Ja, ja. Ich weiß. – Yes, yes, I know.**

**Kuchen - Cake**

**Ich werde gut sein. – I'll be good.**

**Nein. Keine kuchen. – No. No cake.**

**Du bist ein Lügner. – You're a liar.**

**Maus - Mouse**

**Ich bin nicht eine Maus. – I am not a mouse.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Holy straw bag," Laurenz whistled, amazed by the sheer amount of students crowding the Music room. He leaned into his brother, looking up at him incredulously. They had settled themselves on a couch in the corner of the room and nestled into each other for comfort in the strange place. "Have you ever seen so many girls in one place?"

"Only when Mother forces me to go to the mall with her." Christoph ran his fingers through the boy's longer hair, humming soothingly under his breath. The corners of his lips turned upwards ever so slightly, and he put an arm around Laurenz's neck. "Brat."

"Show-off." The younger of the two scrabbled at the older's arm even though it wasn't at all tight across his throat. He finally gave up trying and put his legs up over the arm of the couch, declaring it his for posterity.

At this, Christoph released his little brother's neck and smacked his leg to chastise him for the action. "Mama's boy."

Laurenz smirked, refusing to move his legs. He muttered something under his breath that the other didn't catch. Upon being asked what it was, he reiterated, "Papa's angel," and turned over, nuzzling the older boy's neck. "I know, it's not an insult, but Papa really thinks you can do no wrong as long as you try to be nice."

Christoph's expression sobered, and he buried his face in Laurenz's hair. "We both know that I'm not infallible."

* * *

More than half of their guests had been cooing over the siblings for the last half-hour, watching them cuddle and prattle to each other in German. According to one of the girls, it was almost as cute as Hani napping with Usa-chan. Hikaru and Kaoru were skeptical, claiming that Christin and Laurenz had stolen their gig and working twice as hard to draw in their customers. Hani and Mori were too absorbed in their usual antics to pay attention. Haruhi occasionally glanced up from her conversation with her guests to see what the exchange students were doing, while Tamaki was completely absorbed in treating each and every one of his girls like a princess. Kyoya, on the other hand, stood with Renge off in the shadows, scribbling every useful detail down in his notebook.

They weren't twins, and they didn't even look alike, but somehow, their guests were still drawn to them.

"Hm." Kyoya flipped his notebook shut and readjusted his glasses. This was certainly going to be an interesting turn of events. The Host Club didn't need any more members, though, so why was his curiosity piqued by these siblings?

"Takashi!" The plaintive wail came from where Hani had been running around with Usa-chan, working off his sugar rush. Once he turned around, Kyoya discovered that they smaller student had tripped when his chiton had caught on the leg of a chair and sent him sprawling to the ground. Now, Hani lay there, lower lip trembling as Mori walked over and picked him up.

Suddenly, Christin was there, holding the pieces of torn fabric in her hands with a devastated expression on her face. "Lenz, my- Um, what's it called in English? I know the word; why can't I say it? Ugh, fine:_ Nähzeug."_ She released one edge of the chiton and held her hand out.

"_Nur wenn ich Tappsy."_

"_Feine, können Sie die dummen Tappsy haben."_ She ignored the students staring at her and her brother's triumphant smirk, analyzing the rip in Hani's costume. "It's only a small tear." When Laurenz pressed the kit into her hand as he munched on what looked like gummy panda heads, she motioned for Mori to set the boy down. _"Herr _Hani, hold still. This should only take a minute." Humming, she threaded a needle and pulled the edges of the chiton taught. Delicately, with calculated precision, she began sewing the rip shut while the guests looked on worriedly. After a moment, she tied off the end and bit the thread in two.

Hani pulled at the end of his chiton, examining the repaired rip. Seemingly satisfied, he grinned at Christin and practically tackled her in a grateful hug. "Thank you, Chris-chan!" he exclaimed, eliciting another round of cooing from his guests.

Kyoya crept out from his hiding place, Renge on his heels. He tapped the German's shoulder, beckoning her to follow him. Once they were out of sight and earshot of the guests, he pushed his glasses further up on his nose, looking down on the exchange student. "I'm sure your mother would appreciate it if you became involved with some of the activities here at Ouran Academy, Schulz-chan," he said, the offer clear in his tone.

"Besides, you and your brother are so… so cute together!" Renge clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling as she grew absorbed in yet another of her fantasies.

Christin narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "I want to tailor the costumes."

"That was already the plan."

"Laurenz gets to stay with me. No dragging him into being one of your ridiculous hosts." Her eyes were hard as she set the requirements, and she tapped the toe of her dress shoe against the ground. "Finally, your group comes to my house on off-days to try on the costumes."

There was clearly no arguing with her; she was dead-set on this, going by the set of her face and her stance. Thus, Kyoya nodded with a polite smile and extended his hand to seal the deal. After she shook it firmly, he pulled back and removed his notebook from his pocket with one fluid movement. He flipped to the page he had been filling out earlier and drew a small check next to the last sentence

"Bring your club to my family's manor tonight." Christin waved dismissively over her shoulder as she started back towards her brother. "You know where to find me in it, I presume?"

He gave a soft smirk as he replied, "I trust you'll be wearing a shirt this time?"

She froze in her tracks, shoulders stiffening.

Renge snapped out of her fantasy, startled by Kyoya's query. She glanced between the two students as Christin turned halfway around to give the other a little half-smile.

"I make no promises, _Herr_ Kyoya." With that, she retreated to Laurenz's side.

* * *

Gawking up at the ornately-styled almost-mansion, Haruhi barely noticed when the twins commented that their home was bigger than this. She rubbed her eyes as if trying to make sure that what she was seeing was real, and it indeed was.

Towering above them, its architecture screaming of medieval castles and times long passed, the Schulz manor certainly was a sight to behold. It was made entirely from stone and mortar, though the inside was presumably less dated. The battlements were massive, made with slits in them just as the old castles had.

Ignoring all of them, Kyoya strode up to the door and knocked. Immediately, an aged man opened it, bowing to them politely. "Good evening, Ootori-san. We have been expecting your visit." He pulled the door back and waved them inside. "Mistress and Master Schulz are-"

"In the gymnasium, as expected, Oshiro-san." Kyoya nodded, indicating that the man could trust them to find their way to Christin and Laurenz without his help. He beckoned the Host Club to him and started down the hall, which was adorned with large paintings of the family: Lena, with her glossy black hair tied up in an elegant bun; Wilhelm, with his glasses set so low they appeared about to fall off the end of his nose; Hagen, with his untamable auburn curls falling clumsily in his eyes; Jochim, with his thin lips curved ever so slightly upwards in a soft smile; Christin, with her head held high and pride swelling her chest for perhaps the last time; and Laurenz, with his arms folded neatly in his lap as the image of the perfect son.

Tamaki paused at a painting of Lena and Christin, staring up, intrigued. "They look nothing alike," he commented.

"Of course. All of the Schulz children are adopted." Kyoya didn't even stop to give the answer as he passed by the president of the Host Club. Finally, he stopped at one of the doors on the right and pushed it open.

"_Herr_ Kyoya!" Laurenz panted, propping himself up on his elbows. He leaned over to grab a towel and slung it around his neck, using it to wipe his cheeks. "Chris is running the track." He pointed upwards to where a sturdy catwalk encircled the walls, providing an excellent place to run out of the way of anyone on the main floor.

"Chris-chan!" Hani called, cupping his hands around his mouth.

The figure above them stopped, peering down over the edge of the catwalk. She held up a finger to show that she'd be down in a minute. When she finally arrived at the door, Tamaki very nearly fainted at what he saw.

"Didn't we talk about this?" Kyoya asked.

Christin was clad in only a pair of compression shorts and a sports bra, though there was a towel wrapped around her neck. She put a hand on her hip, smiling crookedly, and retorted, "I said I would make no promises."

* * *

**Nähzeug – Sewing kit**

**Nur wenn ich Tappsy. – Only if I get Tappsy.**

**Feine, können Sie die dummen Tappsy haben. – Fine, you can have the stupid Tappsy.**


	4. Chapter 4

Recovering from his shock, Tamaki cried, "That- That- That's inappropriate! A girl of your age should never- Daddy says no!"

Christin turned a look on him that very clearly read, 'Excuse me, what?' Her hand still resting on her hip, she stared at him long enough and hard enough that it made him start to shift his weight from foot to foot uncomfortably. Then, she waved a hand as she moved closer to Kyoya, querying something in her native tongue. When he responded that if she really wanted to know, she would have asked Haruhi, another crooked smile quirked the corners of her lips upwards. _"Herr_ Haruhi, how do you feel about dresses?"

Haruhi looked down at her pink blouse and white capris, curious as to why the exchange student would ask such a thing seemingly at random. "They're okay, I guess," she said. Dresses were simply clothes; they weren't any more or less enticing to her than any other article of clothing.

The crooked smile turned sincere. "You're about the size I was a couple of years ago, and Mother had all my old clothes moved here." Christin rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, as if she wasn't sure how to proceed. _"Herr_ Kyoya tells me that you come from a middle-class family. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind picking out some of my old clothes to take home with you."

It was a sweet offer, but Haruhi didn't exactly know how she should feel, knowing that the German considered her someone in need of charity.

"Of course, if you don't want them, that's okay," Christin stuttered, backtracking at the conflicted expression on the other girl's face. "I can just- Heh, I'm always forgetting the word. There's no exact translation into German, so it's hard to remember what word I want. I think it's upcycle? Maybe?"

The word was unfamiliar to Haruhi, and judging by the puzzled expressions on almost everyone else's faces, they didn't know it either. At this, Christin grew panicked, stammering through explaining that upcycling was taking old clothes and making something new out of them. Her gray eyes flicked from one host club member to another, searching for a positive reaction.

Laurenz strode over to his sister and put a hand on her shoulder. _"Beruhige dich,"_ he murmured comfortingly. "Sorry. Chris isn't that good at being nice."

Clearly offended, Christin pulled away from him and punched him in the arm. _"Was zur Hölle, Lenz?!"_ she demanded, scowling. He yelled out a sentence in German, grabbing a fistful of her hair and pulling her head back. She threw an arm around his neck, yelling back. Wrestling for the upper hand, they fell to the floor in a writhing heap.

The Host Club stepped back, hoping to avoid tripping over the siblings as they fought.

Kyoya cleared his throat.

Christin and Laurenz looked up, the former with her legs wrapped around the latter's waist, the latter with his hands pinning the former's arms above her head. Embarrassed by their antics, they quickly disentangled themselves. The girl clambered to her feet, handing her brother his abandoned crutch. They muttered apologies and shifted their weight from one foot to the other as they looked self-consciously up at the Host Club.

"I believe you wanted measurements, Christin-san." Kyoya spoke slowly and clearly, obviously wanting them to understand exactly what he was saying.

"Right," Christin confirmed. She waved for them to follow her out the door.

* * *

Laurenz couldn't help but wonder when his brother was going to figure out that that pretty little first-year was in fact a girl. To Christoph, Haruhi looked like a boy in traditionally feminine clothes, but Laurenz paid attention more than he did, usually. He could see the subtle outline of her hips through the capris and the way the blouse hugged her waist where the belt was. No boy had a figure like that, least of all a boy who had begun puberty.

Then again, Christoph could just be blind to these things, considering he himself loved dresses and skirts, especially when they were of his own creation. A boy in a dress wasn't a crossdresser in his eyes; he was simply a boy in a dress.

They wandered about the hallways, and Laurenz was really beginning to consider the possibility that his brother was deliberately leading them further from his sewing room.

"Um, aren't you gonna-"

"-put on a shirt?"

Christoph turned back, his brows knit together. "Why? Mother keeps it so hot in here." He waved a hand flippantly and turned away. "The sewing room is just up these stairs. I'll get your measurements up there."

"Chris, put on a shirt," Laurenz scolded. Sometimes, he really felt like the older brother.

"I don't want to. Besides, Papa doesn't care, and Mother's not home." Christoph trekked up the staircase, pausing at the landing when he realized that no one was following him except for Haruhi. "What?" He put a hand on his hip again.

"I'll get Noriko to get their measurements while you get dressed and show Haruhi your old clothes." Laurenz beckoned for the Host Club to follow him to the common room, shooing his brother up the stairs with his free hand. He sighed, leaning heavily on his crutch, as he moved through the corridors with ease. This house was an exact copy of the Schulz manor in Munich, except for one little detail: the gym was only half the size.

That would have bothered him several years ago, because it meant that there was no room for a rock wall. He and Christoph had, after all, been two of the best adolescent free climbers in the world. Now, however, it was almost a blessing. Whenever he looked at the gym in Munich, he felt a hole in his chest. Here, he didn't have to worry about that feeling.

* * *

Haruhi watched curiously as Christin—now clad in a band t-shirt and skinny jeans—rifled through a massive closet in search of something the right size for the first-year to try on. She had settled herself on the edge of the bed, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"Here," Christin said at last, tossing a black pinafore and pastel blue undershirt at her. "That was one of my first projects, back when I was learning to sew." She sat on the bed next to Haruhi and rubbed the silken fabric of the pinafore between her fingers. Her expression was soft, inviting for perhaps the first time since Haruhi had met her. "I want you to have it—if it fits, that is. I mean, it should, but you never know with old things like this."

"Christin-sempai, this may seem like a strange question," Haruhi began, "but what happened to you and your brother?"

Christin's shoulders stiffened, and she drew a sharp breath through her teeth. "We were in a rock climbing accident." She turned her head away, bangs moving in just the right way to allow a sliver of purple to become visible for an instant. "I don't like to talk about it."

* * *

**Beruhige dich – Calm down**

**Was zur Hölle, Lenz?! – What the hell, Lenz?!**


	5. Chapter 5

Their measurements taken, the Host Club—minus Haruhi—had settled themselves in the common room, waiting for their missing member and the other exchange student to join them. Obviously uncomfortable, Laurenz had retreated to the kitchen in search of snacks and left Noriko to amuse them. The poor maid seemed utterly lost as to what to do, presumably since she was used to entertaining adults rather than teenagers.

After a while, she folded her hands neatly in her lap and began somewhat nervously, "Mistress and Master Schulz never have friends over when they come here." She pretended not to notice the glances the Host Club exchanged, keeping her gaze focused on the plush carpet beneath her feet. "It's always been them and their brothers. Their parents are just too busy—company to run; you know how that goes."

Tamaki and Kyoya shared a glance, and the former leaned over to place a hand on the woman's knee. "We won't let them be alone anymore, Hayashi-san." His tone was soothing and low, and his expression was soft.

"_Nein, Papa, nein!"_ Laurenz's shriek echoed into the room, steadily getting louder along with a set of footsteps.

A massive auburn-haired man burst into the room, Laurenz tucked under his arm as though he weighed nothing. "Hello, Kyoya-san," he said in perfect Japanese. "And this must be your club. My little brother was talking about you all." His hold on Laurenz didn't falter, and he ran his free hand through his curls.

"_Herrgott, Papa, bitte nicht."_ Laurenz put his hands over his face, slowly separating his fingers just slightly so that he could peer through them. At the little chuckle from the twins, he closed the gap and whined, _"Bitte."_

"Shush, Lenz. The adults are talking."

"Kyoya and I are the same age!"

The man's expression grew increasingly unamused as Laurenz started squirming. He appeared to be seriously considering dropping the boy on the ground and leaving him there, but he kept holding him under one arm without looking down. "I'm Hagen Schulz, Chris and Lenz's Papa." His cheeks flushed, as if he hadn't meant to say that, and he began to stammer in German. Finally, he recovered and amended, "Well, technically, I'm their brother, but Jochim and I raised them, so it's always been that I'm Papa and he's Mama."

Had Renge been here, she would have squealed. Fortunately for Hagen's and Laurenz's eardrums, she had been preoccupied by a visit from her father after club hours.

"You and Jochim, then—you're married?" Tamaki queried, his face full of an innocent curiosity.

Both the Germans erupted into laughter and put a hand over their mouths to stifle it. After a moment, Hagen uncovered his mouth, looking around at the very confused Host Club. _"Gott, nein._ He's my twin, and besides, he's engaged."

Face turning red, Tamaki ducked his head and bit his lower lip.

"Hagen-san, I believe your brother would like to be set on his feet now," Kyoya remarked in a clipped tone. He tapped his pen against his thigh.

The auburn-haired man walked over to the empty couch and carefully set Laurenz on it. Then, he retreated to the door, calling over his shoulder, _"Ich bin gleich wieder mit Ihrem Krücke sein."_

"_Dalli, Dalli!"_ Laurenz spread himself out on the couch, pulling a pillow over his face. He lifted one corner up to glance at Hani and Mori. "I was going to get Prinzregentorte and Donauwelle, but I didn't even make it to the kitchen. Papa's _everywhere."_

Speaking of his Papa, Hagen came bursting into the room again, this time with Christin tucked under one arm, Laurenz's crutch in the opposite hand, and Haruhi on his heels. He walked over to his little brother and dropped Christin on top of him, leaning the crutch against the arm of the chair. Eerily silent, he held up one finger before whistling shrilly.

A delighted gasp came from the two exchange students at the cart of sweets that crossed the threshold, pushed by the aging man that had opened the front door for the Host Club.

"I knew what you were up to, Lenz, and you know you need to stay with your guests." Hagen was smirking, his arms crossed high on his chest. "As for you, Chris, you know what I've said about using others as your mannequins." When his siblings reached for the cart, he tutted sternly at them. He motioned for the man to pull it back. "You can have sweets on one condition: you answer this nice young lady's question."

Christin looked around the room, searching for the young lady in question. Her gaze finally landed on Haruhi, and her eyes went wide. She began stuttering through an apology for mistaking the first-year's gender, citing that she believed her to be simply a boy who liked feminine clothes. At last, she sighed and clambered off of her brother. "Well, _Frau_ Haruhi, it's a bit of a long story, and it starts back when Lenz and I were adopted. You see, we were very withdrawn at first, and not even Mama could get us to speak to him and Papa."

Mori settled himself on the arm of the chair Hani had claimed, humming an acknowledgement.

"A few months after we first came home with them," Laurenz continued for his sister, climbing into an upright position on the couch, "they took us to the gym, and we wanted to climb the rock wall. Mama and Papa—er, our brothers—were quick to indulge us, since it got us to talk."

"They hired every rock climbing teacher that side of the Alps to teach us, and in six years, we were known as two of the best adolescent free climbers in the world. Ma- Jochim took us out on weekends to practice outside, while Hagen insisted that we stay inside." Without warning, her expression soured, and tears began rolling down her cheeks. "We loved rock climbing. It got us friends in school. I met my boyfriend because of it, and we've been together three years. And then we lost everything."

Laurenz's head was ducked now, his gaze focused on his lame leg. His voice trembled as he went on to explain that the accident they had been in left lasting scars for both of them. He touched his knee with a shaking hand. "My leg got tangled in the loose guide lines. My ACL and LCL were torn when I fell, and I hit my head on the rock face. Stupid me refused to wear a helmet that day."

Haruhi's brow knit, and she held up a hand. "Stop. You don't have to go on. I didn't want to find out like this. Tell me when you're ready to."

Christin was trembling, her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around her middle. _"Vielen dank,"_ she breathed. She leaned against Laurenz's shoulder, burying her face in her hands.

"_Kommen Sie hier."_ Hagen held his arms out, and Christin ran into the embrace. The Host Club merely watched as he held her and she began to sob quietly. The older German stroked her hair, humming what sounded like a lullaby. He looked up at the others. "I'm sorry. I thought this would be good for them. As it turns out, it only dredges up bad memories."

"_Ich habe dich gerne, Papa."_

"_Ich habe dich gerne, Chris."_

Tamaki shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and after a moment of deliberation, he stood, walked over to the siblings, and put a hand on Christin's shoulder. "Princess-"

"Don't call Chris that," Laurenz snapped from behind him.

"Why not?" Tamaki called every girl Princess; this was nothing new. What was so wrong with showing the same courtesy to Christin?

Hagen pulled his sister closer to his body. "Ever since the lawsuits against Volkskrone Tech started, we can't go anywhere without someone calling us Prince or Princess."

Before the twins could ask the question that was on everyone's minds, Kyoya explained, "Volkskrone means People's Crown. It's been customary that the children of the owners are called the Princes and Princesses of the People's Crown since the founding, but once the lawsuits started, it became a way to mock the Schulz family." He adjusted his glasses, avoiding Hagen's gaze. There was clearly something they weren't telling, but no one wanted to call them out on it.

Laurenz grabbed his crutch and got to his feet. He brushed past Tamaki, wrapping an arm around Christin's shoulders.

Tamaki backed away, nodding to the rest of the Host Club. It was time for them to get going; the Germans obviously needed to be alone.

* * *

**Nein, Papa, nein! – No, Papa, no!**

**Herrgott, Papa, bitte nicht. – Dear God, Papa, please don't.**

**Bitte. – Please.**

**Gott nein. – God, no.**

**Ich bin gleich wieder mit Ihrem Krücke sein. – I'll be back with your crutch.**

**Dalli, Dalli! – Hurry up.**

**Vielen dank – Many thanks**

**Kommen Sie hier. – Come here.**

**Ich habe dich gerne – I love you (platonic)**


	6. Chapter 6

A few days later, the twins were seated at their usual table in the main parlor in Music Room Three. They were watching their new tailor and her brother, who had settled themselves in the corner couch and delved into a conversation in their native language. Finally, Hikaru gave his twin a sly smile and asked, "Are they gay or just European?"

Kaoru thought about it for a moment but quickly shook his head. "Christin-sempai said she has a boyfriend. She can't be gay." He appeared to think about it some more. "Yeah, she said she's been with her boyfriend for three years."

"She could have been lying. Besides, don't you think they're gay?"

The younger twin hummed as he stared at the Germans, cocking his head to one side. "Yeah, I guess you could be right."

"Come on, then. Let's go find out." Hikaru jumped up from his seat, beckoning for his twin to follow him. When Kaoru did, he started in Haruhi's direction. "Hey. The exchange students," he began as soon as he was within her range of hearing, "are they gay or just European?"

Haruhi's lips parted as if she meant to reply, but no sound came out. She held up a finger. After a moment, she seemed to recover. "Don't you think that could be offensive?" At this, the twins looked at each other as if to say 'Didn't think about that,' causing her to sigh and shake her head. "Anyway, what does it matter if they're gay? Laurenz-sempai doesn't seem like the type to hit on any of us, and Christin-sempai is already in a relationship."

"Still," Kaoru said, as though that cleared everything up.

"It'd be nice to know." Hikaru crossed his arms, glancing in the general vicinity of the siblings.

"What's all this about?" Kyoya appeared behind Haruhi, light from the chandeliers glinting off the rim of his glasses. Tucked under one arm was his standard black notebook, and slipped into the breast pocket of his blazer was the pen he never seemed to be without.

"Hikaru and Kaoru were asking if I thought Christin-sempai and Laurenz-sempai were gay or simply European."

"Christin-san has a boyfriend." Kyoya adjusted his glasses, looking down at the twins, who shifted uncomfortably under his unwavering gaze. "And her brother is currently uninterested in a relationship, as his last one ended… poorly, to say the least. I see no reason why their sexualities should be of any concern to you."

"But don't you-"

"-wanna _know?"_

"It is of no matter to me. If you truly wish to pursue this topic, I suggest you ask them directly."

The twins exchanged a glance and identical smirks. In an instant, they were over by the siblings. Fortunately, they hadn't been noticed, and Christin and Laurenz continued to prattle on about something in German. "What are you talking about?" Hikaru queried suddenly, stepping in front of Christin's right side.

The girl jerked back, eye not hidden by her bangs going wide and her breath audibly hitching in her throat. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, and she brought her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead on them.

Laurenz, having exchanged his crutch for a leg brace, got to his feet and stalked over to Hikaru.

Seeing the fire in the older student's eyes, Kaoru quickly pulled his brother away.

"_Du Miststück!"_ Laurenz snarled, stepping forward so that he could grab the teen by the collar and shake him. "Chris is blind on that side!"

Startled by the change in the exchange student's demeanor, Hikaru could only gape as his hands dropped from where they had been fumbling at Laurenz's clenched fists, trying to pry them open. "I didn't know." He barely forced the words out in a single, choked breath.

"I…" It seemed to dawn on Laurenz exactly what he was doing. Slowly, with trembling hands, he released Hikaru and smoothed his rumpled collar. _"Herrgott, vergib mir. Vergib mir."_ He swallowed hard and backed away, his hands held in front of his chest, palms facing outward. His eyes were wide with shock at what he had done. Then, he took off for the door, running as fast as he could with his lame leg.

Meanwhile, Christin had tentatively returned to a normal position. When the twins turned to face her, she wiped at her eyes with the back of one hand as though it could hide the fact that she had been crying. "Go on," she spat, the venom in her voice clear, "laugh."

No one said anything. No one even moved.

She clenched her jaw. Bringing her right hand up, she tucked her bangs behind her ear. A scarred, purple-tinted iris stood out against her pale features, stark in contrast to the gray iris of her left eye. She slammed her clenched fist into the couch. "Just laugh already!" The demand had a desperate edge to it, and when Hikaru and Kaoru still didn't react, she grimaced as if this interaction physically hurt her before bolting out the door.

* * *

Two years ago, Laurenz would have climbed a tree to escape a situation he had messed up because of his anger issues. Now, however, he was banned from climbing in any form, so that wasn't an option. Instead, he had elected to hide in one of the numerous academy gardens, crouching close to the trunk of a rather large bush so that he couldn't be found easily.

It wasn't long before his phone began to buzz in a familiar pattern, indicating that his brother had decided to text him.

'They didn't laugh.'

Feeling his anger bubble to the surface at the idea that Christoph was so used to people laughing at him for being half blind that he honestly expected everyone to do it, Laurenz felt the hand holding his phone start to shake. That was not right. Christoph didn't deserve to have anyone laugh at him for any reason, least of all for a visual impairment. 'Good for them. Else I might have shot someone.'

'You don't even have your gun.'

The reply wasn't as teasing as it sounded, Laurenz knew. His brother had a tendency to make bad jokes when he was upset, and given the way this one turned out, he was probably crying. 'South garden, next to the bush shaped like some weird frog-turtle thing.'

'Be there soon, stupid-face.'

'I love you too, Christoph.'

* * *

Elsewhere, at around four in the morning, a blonde teenager shot straight up in bed, eyes wide with delirious panic. Clad only in his boxers, he clambered out of bed and staggered over to his door. "Karsten! _Karsten!"_ His voice rose in volume as he continued to shout for his butler. As soon as the man was close enough, he grabbed him by the front of the shirt, looking like he was about to fall over. "Pack my bags. We're going to Tokyo."

Then, he let go of the butler and continued stumbling in the general direction of the garage. "Boyfriend needs me," he slurred before promptly tripping over absolutely nothing and falling flat on his face.

* * *

**Du Miststück! – You bitch/bastard!**

**Herrgott, vergib mir. Vergib mir. – Dear God, forgive me. Forgive me.**


End file.
